Toy construction set

ABSTRACT

A TOY CONSTRUCTION SET WHICH COMPRISES A VARIETY OF CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS ADAPTED TO BE ASSEMBLED INTO A TOY ASSEMBLY OF THE DESIRED TYPE HAVING A STATIONARY PORTION AND AN OPERATIVE PORTION. THE CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS INCLUDE MAGNET-EQUIPED ELEMENTS ADAPTED TO BE MAGNETICALLY HELD ON A MAGNETIZABLE SURFACE IN ASSEMBLED RELATION-   SHIP. THE MAGNET-EQUIPPED ELEMENTS INCLUDE A POWER MEANS FOR OPERATING THE OPERATIVE PORTION OF THE TOY TO BE ASSEMBLED.

Sept. 28, 1971 MASARU AOKI 3,503,233

TOY CONSTRUCTION SET Filed July 22, 1970 V 7 SheetS-Sheet 1 mimm mnnsnRu Rem BY TOWN ATTORNEY sephzg', 1971 MASARU AOKI $50,233.

TOY CONSTRUCTION SET Filed July 22, 1970 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 E -7A 5b fF-Z?,5!) 20 20 ya /7 201% IN VENTUR ATTORNEY lift 33 TOY CONSTRUCTION SETFiled July 22, 1970 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR HHSH'RU HDKI 6 fi V K BY mI ATT( )RNEY "S ItLZB; T971 MASARU AOKI $8,233

TOY couswnucmon SET Filed July 22, 1970 7 Sheets-Sheet 4,

E124 3-135 Fi-MA ATTORNEY Sept. 28, 1971 MASARU AOKI 3,60%,233

TOY CONSTRUCTION SET Filed July 22, 1970 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVEN'FORnHsnRu 90K: BY 10/6 KW ATTORNEY p 23, 1971 MASARU AOKI 3,60,33

TOY CONSTRUCTION SET Filed July 22, 1970 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVE NTORNHSHRu 90m BY WW A aw ATTORNEY P 23, 1971 MASARU AOKI 3,508,233

TOY CONSTRUCTION SET Filed July 22, 1-970 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTORMRS-HRH HOKI BY flfflw M ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,608,233 TOYCONSTRUCTION SET Masaru Aoki, Tokyo, Japan, assignor to Tomy Kogyo Co.,Ltd., Tokyo, Japan Filed July 22, 1970, Ser. No. 57,047 Claims priority,application Japan, Nov. 24, 1969, 44/ 111,597 Int. Cl. A63h 33/06 US.Cl. 46-17 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A toy construction setwhich comprises avariety of construction elements adapted to beassembled into a toy assembly of the desired type having a stationaryportion and an operative portion. The construction elements includemagnet-equipped elements adapted to be magnetically held on amagnetizable surface in assembled relationship. The magnet-equippedelements include a power means for operating the operative portion ofthe toy to be assembled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to toy blocks, and moreparticularly to a toy construction set having various elements adaptedto be assembled into a wide variety of toys, especially into a toy ofthe kind which is called action toy or animated toy.

One object of the present invention is to provide a toy construction sethaving a variety of elements which may be assembled into an animated toyof the desired type which comprises a stationary or motionless part andan operative or motional part adapted to be operated by one of theelements of the set that is a power means.

Another object of the present invention is to provide elements for sucha set the majority of which are each provided, on the reverse sidethereof, with a magnet so as to be magnetically attachable to amagnetizable surface, such as the surface of a magnetizable metal board,and

to be held in assembled relationship with each other on such surface.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an animated toyassembly which can be readily disassembled and reassembled into otheranimated toys of the desired configurations and types and which is safeto handle and attractive in appearance.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a toyconstruction set of the type stated above which has educational value bystimulating the imagination and creative ability of children.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a toy of the kinddescribed above which can be manufactured and sold at a relatively smallexpense.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be moreevident upon consideration of the following detailed description anddrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of a power unit according tothe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the power unit shown in FIG. 1,illustrating the reverse side thereof;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line A-A ofFIG. 1, from which two magnets have been removed;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another form of a power unit;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the power unit shown in FIG. 4,illustrating the reverse side thereof;

FIGS. 6A, 7A, and 8A are perspective views of gear units, respectively;

FIGS. 68, 7B and 8B are vertical cross-sectional views of the gear unitsof FIGS. 6A, 7A and 8A, respectively;

3,608,233 Patented Sept. 28, 1971 FIGS. 9A, 10A, 11A, 12A, 13A, 14A and15A are perspective views of different sections which are provided inthe reverse sides thereof with magnets and which are used in theassemblage of a stationary part of the toy to be assembled according tothe present invention;

FIGS. 9B, 10B, 11B, 12B, 13B, 14B and 15B are perspective views of thesections shown in FIGS. 9A to 15A, illustrating the reverse sidesthereof, respectively;

FIG. 16A is a perspective view of an elongated box-like member which isused chiefly as a moving part of the toy;

FIG. 16B is a perspective View illustrating the reverse side of themember shown in FIG. 16A;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a link;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a tubular connector;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing one example of assemblage of theanimated toy according to the present invention;

FIGS. 20 and 21 are side elevations showing two other examples ofassemblage, respectively, of the animated toy;

FIG. 22 is an exploded view illustrating one example of how to fabricatean assembly to be animated; and

FIG. 23 is a view showing an example of assemblage of an operatingmechanism forming a part of the animated toy to be assembled accordingto the present invention.

The toy construction set according to the present invention comprises apower unit A or A, gear units Bb, Be and/ or Ba, different shapes ofmembers C1 to C7 and D1 to D3 which are selectively used depending onthe type or kind of the toy to be assembled, and a supporting base orboard E for supporting these parts of assemblage thereon.

The power unit A or A is designed to be combined with other toyconstituting sections and to power the toy assembled. The power unit Ashown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is a variant of the power unit A shown in FIGS. 1to 3 and does not differ substantially from the latter in constructionand manner of operation. To avoid repetition, therefore, the parts orportions corresponding to or are similar to those of the latter will notbe described in detail.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the power unit A comprises a casing 1 in whicha battery, not shown, a battery-operated motor 2 and a driving gear,generally designated at 3, are disposed, and an output gear wheel 4 anda rotatable disc 5 rotatably mounted on said casing and operativelyconnected to the motor 2 through the driving gear 3, respectively. Theoutput gear wheel 4 and the rotatable disc 5 are provided, as shown inFIG. 1, with eccentric holes 4' and 5, respectively for the purposeswhich will be described later.

The casing 1 is formed, on the reverse side thereof, with a recess 6 inwhich are provided circular permanent magnets 7 so that when the reverseside is placed on the supporting board E, which comprises a metal platecapable of being magnetized, the power unit A can be magnetically heldin its attracted state on said supporting board. The motor circuit, notshown, is provided in the casing -1 and is arranged to be made or brokenby the manipulation of the switch means 8 projecting outwardly of saidcasing.

Indicated by reference numeral 9 is a battery container in which thebattery for operating the electric motor 2 is disposed.

As may be seen from FIGS. 1 to 5, the principal difference between thepower units A and A is that the latter has not the rotatable disc 5 thatthe former has.

Referring now to FIGS. 6A to 8A and 6B to 8B, there are shown three gearunits Ba, Bb and Be which comprise gear wheels 10a, 10b and having adifferent diameter, respectively.

A hollow cylindrical member 11 having a diameter smaller than that ofthe gear wheel 10a is loosely mounted on a boss 12 projecting downwardlyfrom. the central portion of the lower face of the gear wheel a so as torotatably support said gear wheel. More specifically, an inward flange13 projects inwardly from an upper portion of the inner face of saidhollow cylindrical member and the boss 12 is loosely inserted in anopening 14 which is defined by the inner peripheral edge of said flange.After this insertion, a washer 15 is placed on the bottom face of saidflange 9 and is fastened tightly against the boss 12 by means of a screw16. Thus, the hollow cylindrical member 11 is prevented from. coming offthe boss 12 and at the same time the gear wheel 10a is allowed to rotatefreely relative to said cylindrical member. A tubular receiving element17 of a magnetic material is inserted in the lower portion of thecylindrical member 11 and is secured thereto. A permanent magnet 14, issecured to the inside of the tubular receiving element 17. This tubularelement 17 serves to substantially enhance the magnetic attraction ofsaid permanent magnet 18.

The gear wheel 10a is provided, in the central portion of its upperface, with a relatively small circular hole 19, and in its diametricallyopposed positions, with circular apertures 20 each having the samediameter as that of the central hole 19 for the purposes which will beexplained later.

The other gear units Rb and Bc shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B and 8A, 8B have thesame structure and shape as the gear unit Ba with the exception thatthey are smaller in size. Accordingly, as to these two Bb and Be,detailed description will be omitted.

It is to be noted that the power unit A or A and at least one of saidgear units Ba, Bb and Bc are indispensable as the basic constituentmembers for the toy to be assembled according to the present invention.

Description will now be directed to varied sections or members which areselectively used depending on the type of the animated toy to beassembled and which are used for fabricating a motionless or stationarypart of the toy.

As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the first motionless partconstitutingmember G1 is a tray-like member having a square fiat cover 21 and ahollow base portion 21' having its lower end opened. A hollowcylindrical member 22 depends from the lower face of the upper wall 21of said member. A receiving tubular element 23 of a magnetic material ismounted in the hollow cylindrical member 22. A permanent magnet 24- isdisposed within the tubular element 23. A plurality of circularapertures 25 are formed in the upper wall 21 in spaced-apartrelationship and with predetermined intervals.

Other motionless part-constituting members C2, C3, C4 and C5 are alsotray-like members and have the same height as that of the first memberC1. The second member C2 shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B has a flatrectangular top wall 26 and a hollow base portion 26. This rectangularshape is such that it is in exact conformity with the rectangular shapeobtained by dividing symmetrically the square shape of the upper wall 21of the first member C1 into two parts. The right-angled isoscelestriangle obtained by transversely dividing the rectangular shape at thecenter thereof into two square shapes and then by dividing one of saidsquare shape into two parts along the diagonal line, is in exactconformity with the rightangled isosceles triangle of the upper wall 29of the fifth member C5 shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B.

The third member C3 shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B has a fiat rectangulartop wall 27 and a hollow base portion 27 and is provided with asemi-circular recess 27a on one side thereof. This semi-circular recess27a has a diameter allowing each of the hollow cylindrical member 11 ofthe gear units Ba, Bb and Be to be snugly received therein.

The fourth member C4 shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B has a flat cover 23 anda hollow base portion 28, said cover having a shape of a quarter of acircle. This quarter of a circle has a radius of a length which is inconformity with the length of one of the edge lines, which cross eachother at right angle in the right-angled isosceles triangle, of thefifth member C5 having a flat triangular cover 23 and a hollow baseportion 29.

These members C2, C3, C4 and C5 are each provided, in its top wall withone or more circular apertures 25', and at the lower face thereof, witha permanent magnet 24 which is mounted in the hollow cylindrical member22, which is secured to said lower face, with a magnetic tubular member23.

The sixth member C6 shown in FIG. 14A comprises a cylindrical casing 30having a circular top wall 30. A magnetic tubular member 23' havingtherein a permanent magnet 24' is mounted in said cylindrical casing. Asshown in FIG. 14A, the circular top wall 30 has in its central portion acircular hole 25.

Referring now to FIGS. 15A, 15B, 16A, 16B, 17 and 18, there are depictedmembers C7, D1, D2 and D3 which are chiefly used for the assemblage ofan operative part of the toy according to the present invention. Thefirst operative part-constituting member C7 comprises a cylindricalcasing 31 having a circular top wall 31 which is provided, in itscentral portion, with a rotatable tubular member 32 arranged to pivotabout the axis of said cylindrical casing. The second member D1 is anelongated rectangular tray-like member which has a hollow base portion33' and a flat upper wall 3 3 having a plurality of spaced-apartcircular apertures 34 therein. The third operative member D2 is arelatively elongated link which has at its ends laterally projectingtubular members 35 rotatably mounted on pins 36, respectively. Thefourth member D3 is a tubular coupling member which comprises a tubularbody 39, a rotatable tubular member 37 rotatably mounted on a pin 38axially projecting from one end of the tubular body which has at theother end a circular bore 39'.

Preferably, all of the aforementioned toy-constituting elements aresuitably colored or color coded so that they may catch the eyes ofchildren or their assemblage may become much easier.

FIG. 19 shows an example of the toy assembled in the form of alocomotive according to the present invention. This assembly isfabricated by properly placing the power unit A or A, gear units B-b andBe and an appropriate number of other combining members C1, C2, C3, C4,C5 and C6 on the supporting board E, which comprises a frame 40 and amagnetizable metal plate 41, and then by attaching the operative memberD2 to the gear units Bb in such a way that the rotatable tubular members35 are mounted in the respective eccentric apertures 20. As shown, theoutput gear wheel 4 of the power unit is meshed with the toothed wheel1% of gear unit Bb which constitutes the rear wheel of the locomotive.This toothed wheel ltib is in meshed engagement with the smaller gearwheel of gear unit Bc, which is, in turn, meshed with the gear wheel10]) of another gear unit 10b which con stitutes the front wheel of thetoy. When the switch 8 is turned on and the motor starts rotating, therotational force of the motor will be transmitted, via the outputtoothed wheel 4, to a series of toothed wheels 10b, Tile, 1% and 100,which are in meshed engagement with each other, to rotate the wheels,thereby causing the operative member D2 to make reciprocation. Since thegear units BI) and Be are secured by the attractive forces of themagnets 1 to the magnetic board E, and since the toothed wheels 1% andWe are arranged to rotate relative to the hollow cylindrical members 11,these toothed wheels can be driven for rotation continuously by theoutput toothed wheel 4 without coming off the board E, even when theboard E is placed in an upright position.

FIG. 20 shows another example of the toy assembled in the form of a dumptruck. In this example, the operative part-constituting parts C7, D1, D2and D3 are used in addition to other members including the power unit A.These parts C7, D1, D2 and D3 are combined with each other so that theoperative section D1 can be swung, as shown in FIG. 20, during theoperation of the toy.

FIG. 21 shows another example of assemblage of the toy which has theconfiguration of a robot. The operative part of portion of the toy isfabricated in accordance with such procedures as illustrated in FIG. 22.First, the disc-like member C7 shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B is attached tothe supporting board E by the aid of the magnetic attraction of thepermanent magnet 24' of the member C7. Then, the rectangular tray-likemember D1 is rotatably mounted on the disc-like member C7 by insertingthe rotatable tubular member 32 of the latter in one of the severalcircular apertures 34 formed in the upper wall 33 of the former. Andthen, the rotatable tubular member 37 of the tubular coupling member D3is inserted in another aperture 34 of the oblong member D1. Finally, oneof the two rotatable tubular members 35 of the elongated link D2 isinserted in the bore 39 of said tubular coupling member D3, while theother of the two rotatable tubular members 35 is inserted in one of thecircular apertures 20 eccentrically formed in the gear wheel 10c of gearunit Bc.

In the toy shown in FIG. 21, when the power unit A is actuated, itsdrive power is transmitted to the driven gear wheel via the intermediategear wheel which is in meshed engagement with the output gear wheel 4 ofthe power unit A. Whereupon, the oblong member D1, which is coupled toone end of the link D2 having its other end coupled to an eccentricposition of the driven wheel, will repeat swinging movement about theaxis of the rotatable tubular member 32 of the shallow cylindricalmember C7 which is magnetically held on the supporting board E.

FIG. 23 shows another example of how to operatively connect theswingable assembly, which comprises the elongated rectangular member D1,the shallow cylindrical member C7 pivotally supporting the member D1 andthe link D2 one end of which is pivoted to the first member D1, to thepower unit A. In this example, the other end of the link D2 is pivotedto the rotatable disc 5, instead of the output gear wheel 4, of thepower unit A by bringing the rotatable tubular member 35 at that endinto fitted engagement with one of the eccentric circular apertures ofthe rotatable disc 5 of said power unit.

As may be seen from the foregoing description, the present inventionmakes it possible for the user to fabricate various configurations orkinds of toys, which are capable of making animated cartoon-likemovements, such as the simulated locomotive, truck and robothereinbefore described or other animated toys of many types as desiredby properly placing the power unit and the desired number of othermagnet-equipped sections on the magnetizable surface and by selectivelycombining them with the motional members. It is to be noted that theassembled toy may be hung on a wall without setting it in motion wherebyit may be used as an article for internal decoration.

What I claim is:

'1. A toy construction set comprising a variety of construction elementsassembled into a toy assembly of the desired type; said set having astationary portion and an operative portion, said construction elementsincluding magnet-equipped elements held on a magnetizable surface inassembled relationship, said magnet-equipped elements including a powermeans for actuating the operative portion of the toy to be assembled.

2. A toy construction set as set forth in claim 1, wherein said powermeans is in the form of a box-like unit comprising a casing having afirst side and a second side in which a battery-operated motor and adriving gear are disposed, an output gear wheel rotatably mounted onsaid casing and operatively connected to said battery-operated motorthrough said driving gear, and a permanent magnet mounted on the secondside of said casing so that when the second side thereof is placed onsaid magnetizable surface, said power means can be magnetically heldthereon.

3. A toy construction set as set forth in claim 1, wherein saidmagnet-equipped elements further include a plurality of gear wheel unitsfor transmitting the drive power of said power means to the operativeportion of the toy to be assembled, each of said gear wheel unitscomprising a gear wheel, a hollow cylindrical member for rotatablysupporting said gear wheel, said hollow cylindrical member having adiameter smaller than that of said gear wheel, and a permanent magnetmounted in the lower portion of said cylindrical member so that when thelower end of said cylindrical member is placed on said magnetizablesurface, said gear wheel unit can be mag netically held thereon.

4. A toy construction set as set forth in claim 1, wherein saidmagnet-equipped elements further include a plurality of tray-likemembers having various configurations in plan view and having hollowingbase portions and flat upper walls each having therein one or moreapertures, each of said tray-like members being provided, within thehollow base portion thereof, with a permanent magnet so that when thereverse side thereof is placed on said magnetizable surface, thetray-like member can be magnetically held thereon.

5. A toy construction set as set forth in claim 1, wherein saidconstruction elements further include an elongated rectangular tray-likemember which has a hollow base portion and a flat upper wall, arelatively elongated link member, and a tubular connector member forpivotally connecting said elongated link member with said elongatedrectangular tray-like member, said link member being operativelyconnected to said power means for reciprocation so that, when connectedto said elongated rectangular tray-like member and said power means, itcan impart a swinging movement to said elongated rectangular tray-likemember.

6. A toy construction set as set forth in claim 5, wherein saidelongated rectangular tray-like member has in its flat upper wall aplurality of spaced-apart apertures and is pivotally supported on saidmagnetizable surface by a disc-like member which is one of saidmagnet-equipped elements and which is provided with a rotatable tubularmember, said apertures of said fiat upper wall being arranged to beselectively engaged by said tubular connector member and said rotatabletubular member of said disc-like member.

7. A toy construction set as set forth in claim 1, further comprising asupporting board for supporting thereon said construction elements, saidsupporting board comprising a metal sheet capable of being magnetizedand being surrounded by a frame simulating a picture frame.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,885,793 5/1959 Oback et al46l7X 2,983,071 5/1961 Oliver 46-241X 3,077,696 2/1963 Barnett et a1.46241X 3,196,579 7/1965 Lepper 46241X 3,528,193 9/1970 Yamakawa 4617LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner R. F. OUTTING, Assistant ExaminerU.S. Cl. X.R. 46243R

